Leave No Trace explained: the seven principles with practical examples

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Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles for enjoying the outdoors without damaging it. They were developed in the United States from work by the US Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management, and are now promoted by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. They are not laws, but they are used by parks, hiking clubs and outdoor schools in many countries, and they make sense wherever you walk.

Why they matter

Any single walker's impact is small. The trouble is that popular places see thousands of visitors. One person cutting a corner makes no difference; a thousand people doing it make a gully. One orange peel is harmless; a summit covered in them is not. The principles are about making the total footprint small enough that the place stays the way you found it.

1. Plan ahead and prepare

Knowing the rules, the weather and the route means fewer emergencies and fewer bad choices made in a hurry.

Check local regulations: whether fires, dogs, camping or drones are allowed.
Go in small groups, or split a large group, on popular paths.
Repack food to cut down on packaging you would otherwise have to carry out.

2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces

Durable surfaces are established paths, rock, gravel, dry grass and snow. Vegetation and soft ground damage easily.

Stay on the path, even when it is muddy. Walking round puddles widens the path.
Do not cut corners on zigzags.
Camp on existing pitches rather than making new ones, and away from lakes and streams.

3. Dispose of waste properly

"Pack it in, pack it out" applies to everything, including food scraps such as banana skins, apple cores and nutshells, which take a long time to break down and attract animals.

Carry a bag for your rubbish and pick up any small pieces you see.
Where there are no toilets, go well away from water, paths and camps, dig a small hole to bury human waste where that is the local guidance, and carry used toilet paper out in a sealed bag. Some fragile or busy areas ask you to carry all waste out.
Wash dishes and yourself away from streams and lakes, with little or no soap.

4. Leave what you find

Leave flowers, stones, antlers and old artefacts where they are, so the next person can see them too.
Do not build structures, dig trenches or carve into trees.
Avoid moving plants or seeds between areas; cleaning boots between trips helps stop invasive species spreading.
Stone stacks may look harmless, but many parks ask visitors not to build them, as they can confuse route markers.

5. Minimise campfire impacts

Use a stove for cooking; it is quicker and leaves no scar.
Where fires are allowed, use existing fire rings, keep fires small and burn only dead wood found on the ground.
Never light a fire during dry spells or where it is banned. Wildfires spread fast.
Put fires out completely, so the ashes are cool to the touch.

6. Respect wildlife

Watch animals from a distance. If an animal changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
Never feed wildlife. It harms their health and teaches them to approach people.
Store food securely, especially overnight.
Keep dogs under control, particularly in nesting and breeding seasons.

7. Be considerate of other visitors

Keep noise down and use headphones for music.
Give way politely on narrow paths and let faster walkers pass.
Take breaks a little away from the path.
Respect farmers and landowners: close gates and keep away from livestock.

Putting it into practice

You do not need to memorise the list. Most of it comes down to a simple question at each choice on the trail: if everyone did this, would the place still be worth visiting? Bring a bag for rubbish, stay on the path, keep your distance from animals and leave the place a little tidier than you found it. Which of these do you see ignored most on your local trails, and what helps? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments.